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| Fibromyalgia is real, its just misunderstood
Fibromyalgia is a condition of wide spread body pain. It affects all aspects of one’s life. Pain limits all abilities of function and henceforth, one’s sleep, work and ultimately finances are affected by it. But in my experience, the most hurtful of all these symptoms is when patients are told that this is not a real medical condition, it is all in their heads or Fibromyalgia is just a name doctors made up for symptoms they could not explain. It hurts more when patients are not believed. |
It might have been understandable a few years ago if doctors would make such remarks, as their knowledge about Fibromyalgia was very limited. Albeit we still do not know all the details about this wide spread condition but there are a lot more information today that makes it unfair to dismiss this as an imaginary condition.
Today we know that Fibromyalgia is a dysfunction of the central nervous system. A very short explanation of what we know about this disease today is as follows: The pain inhibition system does not work well and pain facilitation becomes enhanced. Many genetic, environmental, stress and trauma or infection sources may contribute to initiation or aggravation of this condition. There are many scientific evidences available today about the mechanism of this disease.
We all have to work together to increase awareness about the real nature of this disease and the significant suffering it causes. We should all be sensitive about the harm we can cause when we pass judgment on Fibromyalgia patients without knowing enough about this condition. Fibromyalgia patients have enough difficulties to deal with and it would be unfair to hurt them more. If we cannot help them, the least we can do is not to hurt them with dismissing their real disease and their real struggle.
